finder

File information options in OS X

Getting information for items on disk, including details like creation and modification dates, labels, file sizes, and file type, can be useful when managing your files. The Finder contains a number of ways to view this information about files, which can be seen in different ways depending on the view options you are using in the Finder. In addition, the Finder information windows and some third-party options can be used to view and alter file attributes.

Finder views

The file information that is available in the Finder will depend on the view being used.

In "List" and "… Read more

How to open current Terminal directory in the Finder

If you are a Terminal user and like to explore and manage aspects of OS X using the command line, one convenient function is to be able to quickly access the current folder either in the Finder or in the Terminal. Sometimes navigating through folders can be easier in the Terminal, and at other times it can be easier in the Finder, but the problem comes when you try to combine the use of the two environments in the same task.

Finder to Terminal

Unfortunately the Finder does not have any built-in means to open the current location in the … Read more

Tips for printing folder contents in OS X

There are times when you might want to print or save the contents of a folder, but unfortunately while the Finder will list folder contents, it does not have any options for saving or printing them. Nevertheless, there are some possible routes for saving window contents or printing them, either as screenshots or as text lists of the items.

ScreenshotsScreenshots can be captured several ways using combinations of the Shift, Command, and "3" or "4" buttons to take screenshots of entire screens, selections, or even individual windows if you invoke a selection screenshot (Shift-Command-4) and then … Read more

MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed from our readers. This week we have questions on why only Safari updates require restarts, trial periods for Apple's "Backup" utility, files not staying in place on the Desktop, and an alternative for the "Print Window" feature from the Classic Mac OS. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present a few here, we certainly welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: Safari updates requiring a restart

MacFixIt reader Duane asks:

When … Read more

Question marks in OS X and what to do about them

In several situations when running OS X you may encounter question marks. Of course there should definitely be one somewhere on your keyboard (likely next to the right Shift key), but there are other instances where question marks may appear in the system where there shouldn't be one. Usually these indicate an instance in which the system cannot locate a specified file, location, or other resource and in its confusion shows a question mark.

Start-up

When OS X boots, it will by default use the boot volume that is set in the PRAM, but if that setting is not … Read more

Mufin Music Player: A different kind of jukebox

When it comes to music software, there is one fact that's impossible to deny: There's no shortage of digital jukeboxes available for download. (Whether you like the choices is another matter entirely). As such, it's a special challenge for companies to get their offerings to stand out from the herd. Magix makes quite the impressive attempt with Mufin Music Player, though.

This handy music manager integrates a digital sound analyzer that aims to provide you with a list of songs similar to whichever track you select at any given moment. In other words, rather than using humans … Read more

Four tips for using the OS X Spotlight menu

The Spotlight menu can be very useful for finding files on the hard drive; however, besides just presenting files and allowing you to open them, there are other options for Spotlight that can make using it more useful. After you have performed a search in the Spotlight menu, using the following options will allow you to change how the menu handles the results.… Read more

MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed from our readers. This week we have questions on opening files directly leading to the launched application being treated like it's being opened for the first time, how to consolidate hierarchies of files of the same type into one folder, and the difference between iChat and FaceTime. We continually answer e-mail questions, and while we present a few here, we certainly welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: Opening files directly causes first-time application launch warning

MacFixIt … Read more

Tweak your Mac OS settings

TinkerTool is a small, free app that lets you tinker with your user preferences, allowing access to options that you can't find through System Preferences. These "hidden" preferences--extras like adding scroll arrows to both ends of scroll bars--exist for a variety of reasons, but are usually invisible to users without the help of an app like TinkerTool.

TinkerTool's preferences are organized under 10 main headings: Finder (for options like showing hidden files or restricting the Finder), Dock, General (a lot of useful options, including control over scroll arrows and screenshot file formats), Applications, Snow Leopard (with … Read more